Hopes and Dreams in the Future

By Anonymous, Franklin Lakes, NJ

Image Credit: Alice B., Sarasota, FL

I woke up immediately to the sound of my alarm at 6:40 A.M. I realized I did not have to start work until 9:00, but I wanted to get there by 8:30 to make sure I was ready to go for the long day ahead. I had the relatively short drive ahead of me, assuming there was no traffic, to my job. I knew, like most days, every day was unique. Although I worked the same occupation day after day, it almost never ended the same way. I had known for a long time, no matter what I do, I want to make an impact on someone every time I step into my workplace. Since I had the time before a rather stressful day started, I took a minute to reflect on how I got to where I was sitting today… I remember knowing for a long time that although I had a lot of gifts to work with, the road to success was not going to be easy. For the most part, I followed the path of greatness that was hard. I never took the easy way out in everything I did. Even though I walked out of college debt free, had a well paying job throughout high school and college, and was a very intelligent student, I knew nobody had it easy. My biggest obstacle was making the choice, at such a young age, that would determine the rest of my life. How was I supposed to decide what I wanted to do for thirty, forty, maybe even fifty more years after college? If I needed it, how was I going to pay for a higher degree? Although these questions plagued my mind, eventually, as I knew they would, they fell into place. While I challenged obstacle after obstacle on the road to success, my route changed, took detours, had missed turns, and was still going on ahead of me. I knew that no matter what, there was still a road to get onto, even if I fell straight off of it. I also knew that no matter how many things went wrong, if I worked hard enough I could succeed and my life would come together to something good. I suppose it always did have a little impact on me later in life, when I can remember what my teachers from even third grade told me. “Stay in touch, I know you’ll do big things.” Those words waved over my head at the time, but now that I look back on it I know I set myself up for success from as young as I possibly could. I also promised myself to never stop growing. I always wanted to take the next step, wherever it was. While the plan in the beginning changed, I knew it was for the better and that had kept me going through my challenging but exciting life and work. Now that I got ready, I knew that I was where I wanted to be. I wasn’t alone, I had a dream job, I had made it in life. Regardless of if one’s life seems ordinary, there is always something extraordinary to it. Working at the most boring job in the world can be full of excitement if you look for it. While I may have made the wrong choices at times, they end up insignificant as time goes on if you right them soon. Plans never do work out as they are originally made, but they always have their way of getting back together. Although I do not know what the even more distant future holds. Whether it will be a bright dream or a bleak nightmare. I know it is there and there is always a future coming. Dreaming for the future seems almost pointless because regardless of dreams, something awaits. Decisions must come now and the future falls into place. Whatever the future, I look forward to the life falling into place ahead of me.

Subscribe

Get Teen Ink’s 48-page monthly print edition. Written by teens since 1989.